Heirs of Debauchery - Story 03

"What have I done?" Olivia asked, glass eyed as she pondered on the consequences of her prior actions. She had forgotten that mankind cannot subsist on mere worldly goods, and that there are things that cannot be bought with the worldly existence. Now because of her, hundreds are condemned to banishment, and probably more in the next world.

"You have done what you thought was best." Serina reassured her, while her understanding of the immaterial will never be complete, do understand the mental pain that the human is suffering from. The gynoid cocked her head suddenly, as the surveillance drone notified another group passing the perimeter. "We need to go." She told the human as she shook her shoulder gently. "It seems that the inquisitor wants a chat."

......

The inquisitor sneered at the couple of naked women strolling casually towards them, the fresh winter snows and the biting breeze seemingly having no effect on them. If they thought the mere spectacle of bare flesh would temp him from the righteous path they are sorely mistaken. Both of them came to a stop at a mere handful of feet before him and the force of holy knights.

The older of the two, and as it turns out, the one he had met a few times before, spoke first: "We wish you no harm, and desire a peaceful existence. There is no reason for bloodshed here."

"I will hear no more of your wicked lies!" He shouted, brandishing his sword. "For too long I tolerated your lies and deceit, and now you have corrupted too many!"

"And would you rather everyone die?" The other woman suddenly said, he recognized the voice as well. That witch he sentenced to exile so many years ago, aged not a day since then through whatever sickening witchcraft.

"Yes!" He shouted as he waved his sword. "Slay them all!"

The knights moved forward, but as they closed in, Serina moved. Not rapidly, but purposefully. In a flurry of strikes she quickly knocked all the knights off their mounts, as well as knocked the breath out of them. A few more moments passed and they were stripped of their armor and weapons, as plate armor was ripped from them as if they were rags.

"You really shouldn't play with forces you do not understand." Serina said as she got up from the last of the now knocked out knights. "I assure you though, they are not dead."

"They are dead to me, their souls not worthy of salvation." The inquisitor snarled as he sheathed his sword and turned away. "God will have his vengeance!" He vowed as he rode away.

"What now?" Olivia asked as she surveyed the bodies around. Serina shrugged.

"Already called for a VTOL to pick them up. Guess they're in our care now."

------

Seasons come, seasons go. All according to system plans.

It has been 30 years and some change since Olivia was cast out of her village and into the warm bosom of the Reclamation, during which she learned of many secrets of the universe. The history of her planet, the cooling caused by the degradation of the biosphere, the real purpose of the core taps, and so many other things.

And now she's in charge, at least of that particular core tap complex. Serina had to leave, back to her homeworld for checkup and maintenance, and her next assignment after that. The world and their plans for it are in good hands.

Her hands, and those like hers all over the planet.

It is time for her to carry out the next stage of the plan. Earlier than expected, but opportunities have presented themselves.

......

The capital was listless. There were people there still, but all strength and life force sapped out of them. Soulless bodies, as if waiting for the end times.

And the end times are coming, for the seasons themselves have been changing, bringing with them horrors and corruption beyond mortal comprehension. God has forsaken them, as the grand inquisitor had proclaimed when he executed the royal family.

And so Olivia walked slowly through the streets, through the gates, and through the meandering hallways of the former royal palace. No one stopped the nude maiden, for the lost, having their salvation and birthright snatched away from them, reduced themselves to worldly desires, and the vehicles of the supply convoy had parked themselves at strategic points throughout the city, handing out what they can, saving any and all, bringing the forsaken into the fold of a new existence.

Finally she saw it. Sitting on the former royal throne, the thin figure of the grand inquisitor. The years have not been kind to him, his face still a mirror of his heart and soul, even after all these years.

"So you finally come." He croaked. The words barely flew from his parched tongue. "So this is how it ends."

"It didn't have to end this way." Olivia said, not sure what words would be appropriate. There's no hate, for she had made peace long ago with his faith, a faith that is genuine, unlike that of that priest, which one of the other search parties had already informed her that he, now the archbishop, was found dead in the grand cathedral: cause of death being heart failure brought upon by overindulgence of worldly delights.

"We are not worthy. I am not worthy." He sighed as he watched with a burning gaze as she walked up to him. "But I will not beg for worldly mercy."

"Nor should you." Olivia whispered calmly as she put an innocuous looking patch on the nape of his neck. His eyes went wide for a moment before they glazed over.

But it was not death, for the self contained matrix synthesizer had promptly placed his mind to a better world. His body might be too far gone even for the miracles of nanites, but a more peaceful final days could be arranged, and should.

There is no joy in reveling in petty vengeance.

......

"Are you alright?" Mason, one of the aid workers, asked Olivia. The two of them are on one of the balconies of the palace, looking down at the city below, which was alive with the sounds of relief as people welcomed their new overlords and the regime change well into the night.

"I'm not sure." Olivia said, more to herself. She should be happy, more people are being saved from lives of suffering and pain, and the planet will soon be well on its way to recovery to its mystical long forgotten days. Yet something felt off, missing. Almost as if they are walking into a doom foretold by those fanatics and hypocrites.

But there's nothing she could do about it. No concrete evidence, proof, or anything. Just a stray irrational thought.

She shook her head, feeling a chill that has nothing to do with the night air. Perhaps she's worrying too much, and she should just enjoy the universe for what it is.

What it'll be again.